Stitch-forming mechanism.



E. B. ALLEN. STITCH FORMING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-7.1914. 1,159,345, Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- WITNESSES. 41

ffiwba WWW c AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA E. B. ALLEN. STITCH FORMING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 7, 1914. 1,159,45. V Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- W/ T/VESSES:

NTTE @A FAENT @FFTCE.

EDVfAR-D B. ALLEN, OF BRIDGEPDRT, OONNECTICUT ASSIGNOIR, TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STITCH-FORMING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. ALL-EN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stitch- Forming Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its object to provide means for insuring the proper cooperation of the needle with the loop-taker or loop-takers, and is designed particularly to facilitate the coaction of the operative elements in that type of stitch-forming mechanism shown and described in my United States Patent No. 1,030,0al6, of June 18, 1.912, although adapted for use with other kinds of stitch-forming mechanism.

In the operation of the mechanism referred to, particularly when stitching buttonholes in shoe uppers, there is a tendency of the needle to deflection away from the looperpaths, and the design of the present improvement is therefore to force the needleblade toward the looper-paths into its normal position which it would occupy if unsubjected to the deflective efi'ect of the material thereon.

In its preferred embodiment, the present improvement is applied to stitch-forming mechanism comprising a reciprocating and laterally jogging needle cooperating in the production of stitches with two oppositely directed and reciprocally movable loopers adapted for alternate cooperation with the needle. One of these loopers is preferably threaded and loops of its thread after passage through the needle-thread loops are seized by a detainer, while said looper promptly retreats, and is held distended for passage of the needle in its subsequent descent. The loop-detainer is mounted upon a carrier movable independently of the loopers andtransversely of their paths of movement, and a needle-guard is preferably mounted upon said carrier at the side of the needle-path opposite the looper-paths and with its operative face disposed at the side thereof from which the loop-detainer advances in performing its operative movements.

The loop-detainer, in the mechanism described, performs its normal function once Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 865,447.

for every alternate reciprocation of the needle, but, in order that the needle-guard rocking movements from the position corre sponding with the retracted position of the loop-detainer and the advance or operativeposition of the needle-guard, the latter receding from the needle-path after each operative or needle-deflecting movement. The

movements of the needle-guard are in practice so timed that its engagement with the needle will take place substantially at the end of the needle-thrust so as to avoid injury of the needle-point by such contact, while insuring the proper positioning of the needle-blade for seizure of its thread-loop by the loopers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the stitch-forming mechanism represented in my said United States Patent N 0. 1,030,046, and embodying the present improvement. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the looper mechanism and its accessories, and Fig. 3 a similar view representing the cooperation of the needle, the loopers, loop-detainer and needle-guard in the production of a stitch. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the loop-detainer and its carrier, with the needle-guard applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the loop-detainer actuating elements. Figs. 6 and 7 represent the opposite faces of the cam-wheel for actuating the loopers and loopdetainer.

As represented in the drawings, the needle 1 is secured in the needle-clamp 2 which is mounted for sidewise movement upon the needlebar 3 journaled in the rotary bushing 4 which is in practice mounted in a suitable bearing of the sewing machine frame. The needle-clamp or carrier is given lateral jogging movements by means similar in general character to those of my said Patent No. 1,0309%, and specifically disclosed in -my application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 865,446. The needle-bar bushing 4 is provided with the pinion 5 meshing with the rack-bar 6 attached to the reciprocating bar 7 by means of which the needle-bar is turned in stitching around the eye of a buttonhole.

The transverse brace member 8 of the sewmg machine base sustains the bearing boss 9 in which is journaled the tubular shank 10 of the rotary looper support 11 provided with bearing hubs 12 for the transverse fulcrum-pin 13. Upon the pin 13 is mounted the hub l-l of the looper-carrier having oppositely extending arms 15 and'16 to which are rigidly secured respectively the eyed looper 17 and the f rked looper 18. Overlying the blade of the non-threaded looper 1S and fulcrumed upon the looper-carrier by means of the stud-screw 19 is the loopspreader 20 yieldingly maintained in normal overlying relation with the looper by means of the spring 21 and adapted to be shifted laterally by engagement of its camshaped hub 22 with the cam-block 23 sustained by the looper-support.

Suitably journaled within the looper-support .is the fulcrum-pin 24:, disposed transversely of the looper-carrier fulcrum-pin 13, upon which is mounted the oscillatory sleeve 25 of'the loop-detainer carrier which i is formed with the upwardly extending arm 26 affording a seat having fitted thereto the channeled foot 27 of the looper-carrier, sccured thereon by the screw 27 and having the shank 28 provided at its extremity with the laterally offset forked loop-detaining member 29 which is formed with the divergent jaws 29 and 29". The loop-detainer carrier has the lateral arm 30 uponwhich is adjustably secured by means of the fastening screw 31 the channeled and slotted foot 32 of the upwardly extending needle-guard arm formed at its upper end with the enlargement 34: having the upwardly and slightly backwardly inclined operative face 35 disposed upon the side thereof adjacent the loop-detainer. The operative face 35 of the needle-guard is of sufficient width to embrace the paths of the needle in making both its edgeand depth-thrusts.

The lateral arm 30 is provided with a laterally extending pin 36 upon which is mounted the similarly apertured slide'block 37 which enters the transverse guideway 38 formed in a laterally offset lug 39 at the upper end of the tubular actuating rod 40 having at its lower end the annular notch or neck 4:1. The bore of the rod 40 affords a looper-thread conduit through which the thread is led upwardly and laterally out of the opening 40.

Within the tubular shank 10 of the looper-support, and upon the actuating rod 40 is slidingly fitted a second tubular actuating rod .42 having at its lower end the annular notch or neck 43 and provided at the upper end with the offset lug 44L connected by means of the screw-stud 45 with one end of the short link 46 whose opposite end is connected by the screw-stud 47 with the arm 15 of the-looper-carrier.

Fixed upon the forward end of the main shaft 48 and within a suitable recess in the face of the base member 8 is the cam-wheel 49 provided in its outer and inner faces, respectively, with cam-grooves '50 and 51. lhe base member 8 has a guideway 52 in which is mounted the guide-plate 53 having the forwardly projecting forked lug 54: entering the notch of the actuating rod a2 and carrying the rearwardly extending roller-stud 55 passing through a slot 56 of the in erinediate shield-plate 57 and enter the cam-groove 50 of the wheel e9.

The base member 8 is formed with a seat 58 to which is fitted the slide-plate 59 formed with the slot 60 embracing the shaft 28 and having the outwardly extendingarm 61 which is forked to embrace the necked lower end ll of the actuating rod 40, the slide-plate 59 carrying the forwardlypr0- j ecting' roller-stud 62 which enters the camgroove 51 of the wheel 49. The actuating rods 10 and i2 thus receive independently from the cam-wheel 49 vertical jogging movements which communicate to the threadcarrying and nonthread carrying loopers, the loop-spreader, the loop detainer and the needle-guard their respective reciprocating operative movements.

The looper-carrier shank or stem 10 is provided below its upper end with the pinion 63 meshing with the rack-teeth 64:, of the re ciprocatory bar 65 which is in practice colinected with the similar bar 7 by means of which the needle and looper mechanism are turned in unison in stitching around theeye of a buttonhole.

In the operation of the mechanism, the needle makes an initial depth-stitch thrust through the fabric m andin rising presents a loop a. of its thread a which is entered by the points of the looper 18 and spreader 20 and is by them distended and held for the passage of the needle in the succeeding edge-stitch thrust wherein, a loop a of needle thread is entered by the threaded looper .17, as represented in Fig. 3. The loop-detainer immediately advances and seizes the looper-thread Z) between the eye of the looper and the work, while the looper at once recedes to permit the edge-stitch loop a to be drawn up to the work. The loop-detainer holds distended the looper-thread loop Z) thus formed for passage of the needle in the succeeding depth stitch thrust,

the inter-looping of the needleand looperthreads continuing thereafter as before (16 scribed as the needle and loopers repeat their operative movements.

As the needle-guard is rigidly mount ed upon the loop-detainer carrier, it rceives reciprocatory movements in unison 1 with those of theloop-det'ainer whose co:

operation with the threaded looper 17 takes place only in each edge-stitch forming cycle'or with one-half the frequency of the needle reciprocations. In order, therefore that the needle-guard may perform an operative movement toward the needle for each thrust of the same, it is necessary to impart to the loop-detainer carrier an additional partial reciprocation of such extent that the guard may advance toward and recede from the needle during the depth thrust reciprocation of the latter.

In order to produce the requisite movements of the loop-detainer carrier, the camgroove 51 is made with an outer or operative portion 51 and a circumferentiallv longer inner operative portion 51 followed by an intermediate portion 51 and asecond short inner portion 51, these several portions being connected by the usual inclined parts. In the rotation of the cam-wheel 19, as the roller-stud 62 passes from the portion 51, to 51, the lcop-detainer advances to seize the looper-thread while the needle guard recedes from the needle-path, these parts remaining in such positions until the point of the needle passes through the looperthread loop, when the movement of the stud 62 from the cam-grcove portion 51 to 51" causes the quick retraction of the loop-de tainer and advance of the needle-guard which reaches operative relation with the needle as the latter completes its descent in the depth-stitch cycle.

The needle-guard and loop-detainer remain in these positions until the stud 62 reaches the incline leading to the cam-groove portion 51, when the loop-detainer performs a partial advance movement and the needle-guard recedes from the needle-path sufficiently to provide clearance for the needle in its succeeding edge-stitch thrust after which the movement of the stud 62 into the cam-groove portion 51 causes the needleguard to advance and to remain in operative relation with the needle in the lower portlon of its stroke and until its loop is entered by the thread-carrying looper 17, when the needle close to the looper-paths, but the throwing out of the needle-thread loop upon the side of the needle-blade toward the loopers.

r In stitching buttonholes in leather, it is preferable to employ a wedge-pointed needle with its flattened faces arranged transversely of the direction of feed or of the length of the buttonhole slit, as represented in Fig. 3. With such form of needle, it is found in practice that there is a strong tendency for the needle to glance off crosswise of the direction of movement of the loopers, and particularly away from the looper paths, to correct which tendency the needleguard of the present improvement is provided. This needle-guard preferably moves in a path embracing the needle-eye at the loop-presenting position of the needle, so as to insure, not only the positioning of the needle close to the looper-paths, but the throwing out of the needle-thread loop upon the side of the needle-blade toward the loopers.

It has been proposed heretofore, as shown and described for instance in the United States Patent to Albert Rontke, No. 568,702, of September 29, 1896, to mount upon the feedbar of a double chain-stitch machine a needle-guard movable toward and from the needle upon the side thereof from which the looper seizes the needle-thread loops; but according to the present invention, the func tion of the needle-guard is to insure the requisite proximity of the needle to the looper for proper presentation of the thread-loop, and not to deflect the needle away from the looper-path.

As before indicated, the present improvement is not limited to any particular type of stitch-forming mechanism and the needleguard may obviously be sustained and operated separately from the lower thread handlin devices without departure from the present'invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle-bar carrying a needle and means for turning the same of a plurality of loopers, a rotary support upon which said loopers are mounted, means for turning said support in unison with said needle-bar, means for imparting to said loopers reciprocal operative movements of less frequency than the needle-bar reciprocations, a needle-guard sustained by said rotary support and movable transversely of the paths of movement of said loopers, and means for imparting to the needle-guard movements toward and from said paths and of the same frequency as the needle-bar reciprocations. p

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle, and means for impartin thereto lateral jogging movements, 0 a plurality of loopers, means for turning said needle and loopers in unison upon a common axis, means for imparting to said loopers operative movements whereby said loopers are caused to cooperate with said needle respectively in different lateral positions and in alternate reciprocations thereof, a needle-guard movable transversely of the paths of movement of said loopers, and means for imparting to the needle-guard operative movements of the same frequency as the reciprocating movements of the needle.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle, and a reciprocating thread-carrying looper cooperating therewith, of a loop-detainer adapted to seize a thread-loop from the looper and present the same for passage of the needle in a succeeding reciprocation thereof, a needleguard movable with said loop-detainer, and loop-detainer actauting means.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle, and a recipro eating thread-carrying looper cooperating therewith in each alternate reciprocation of the same, of a loop-detainer adapted to seize a thread-loop from the looper and present thesame for passage of the needle in a succeeding reciprocation thereof, a needleguard movable with said loop-detainer, and loop-detainer actuating means acting to advance the needle-guard into operative relation with the needle in each reciprocation of the latter.

In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle, and a reciproeating thread carrying looper cooperating therewith, of a loop detainer movable differentially of said looper and adapted to seize a thread-loop from the looper and pre sent the same for passage of the needle in a.

succeeding reciprocation thereof, a needle guard connected with and adapted to move in unison with said loop-detainer, looperactuating means, and loop-detainer actuating means.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination with over-seaming needle mechanism adapted for passing thread-loops successively through the work in different needle-paths, of a looper-carrier, oppositely directed thread-carrying and non-thread carrying loopers mounted thereon and adapted respectively to engage the thread-loops presented thereto in said different needle-paths, a reciprocating loop-detainer supported independently of said l0oper-carrier and adapted to engage and hold a looper-thread loop for passage of a needle-thread loop, a needle-guard movable toward and from said needle-paths and in unison with the loopdetainer, means for actuating the loopercarrier, and loop-detainer actuating means.

7. Ina sewing machine, the'combination with over-seaming needle mechanism adapted for passing thread-loops successively through the work in different needle-paths, of a looper-carrier, oppositely directed thread-carrying and non-thread carrying looper-s mounted thereon and adapted respectively to engage the thread-loops presented thereto in said different needle-paths, a reciprocating loop-detainer supported independently of said looper-carrier and adapted to engage and hold a looper-thread loop for passage of a needle-thread loop, a needle-guard having an operative face upon the side thereof adjacent the loop-detainer and movable toward and from said needle paths, looper-actuating means, and loop-detainer actuating means adapted to impart to said detainer alternate full and partial advance movements and correspondingly timed operative movements to the needle-guard for each rocking movement of the loopersupport. r

8. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating and laterally jogging needle, of oppositely directed thread-carrying and non-thread carrying loopers cooperating alternately With said needle, a reciprocating loop-detainer adapted to engage and hold the looper-thread for passage of the needle in a succeeding reciprocation thereof, a needle-guard rigidly connected with said looper-detainer, and loop- I detainer actuating means for imparting to the loop detainer and needle-guard move ments corresponding in frequencywith the needle reciprocations but of different amplitude in successive reciprocations;

9. In a sewing machine, the combination with over-seaming needle mechanism adapted for passing threads loops successively through the work indifferent needle-paths, a rotary support therefor, a rocking loopercarrier, a rotary support therefor, turning means for said rotary supports, oppositely directed thread-carrying and non-thread carrying loopers mounted upon said loopercarrier and adapted respectively to engage the thread-loops presented thereto in said different needle-paths, a loop-detainer adapted to engage and hold a looper-thread loop for passage of a needle-thread loop, a rocking carrier for said loop-detainer, a needleguard mounted upon the loo'p-detainer carrier and movable toward and fro-m the needle-paths, actuating means "forthe loopercarrier, and actuating means'for the loopdetainer carrier for imparting consecutive operative movements to the needle-guard and alternate operative movements to the loop-detainer.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating and laterally jogging needle, loop-taking means cooperating therewith in the production of stitches, and means for turning said needle and loop-taking means in unison upon a common axis, of a needle-guard movable transversely of the lateral-movements of the needle and adapted to assume operative relation with the needle in each of its lateral positions, and means including a reciprocatory element movable along said axis of turning movement for imparting to said needle-guard reciprocatory movements corresponding in frequency with the reciprocations of said needle.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocating needle, means for turning it, a rotary support, means for turning it in unison with said needle, loop-taking means sustained by said support, means-for'imparting thereto operative reciprocatory movements, a reciprocatoryh needle-guard also mounted upon said support, and means for imparting to said needle-guard operative movements of greater frequency than those of the loop-taking means.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle and means for imparting thereto lateral jogging move ments, of a plurality of loop-seizing elements mounted upon fulcra in transverse relation, and a needle-guard rigidly connected to and movable with one of said elements.

13. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocating needle, means for imparting thereto lateral jogging movements, and means for turning said needle, of a plurality of loop-seizing elements mounted respectively upon fulcra in transverse relation, 21. neeclleguard rigidly connected to and movable with one of said elements, a rotary support for said fulcra, and means for turning said support in unison with said needle. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD B. ALLEN. Vitnesses:

STANLEY N. SMITH, H. M. BURN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

